Monday, September 26, 2011

Millers Take Chiwas Days 5 and 6...finally

I feel like it was so long ago that my parents were here, but it has barely been two weeks. :( And now we have to wait until Christmas to see one another again! But I know the time will fly. Anyways, our last full day together was so much fun. My principal, Steve, is quite the history buff; he also teaches history at school, and he took us where we wanted to go on Monday. We saw so many things and received quite a few interesting history lessons.

Ready for yet another day of sightseeing

The first stop was the cathedral downtown. Steve filled us in on all kinds of interesting facts about the architecture and age of the building, as well as the Catholic culture here. There were people scattered through the pews praying inside, as there always are. The cathedral itself was a construction project that lasted more than 100 years and is breathtaking to behold. One could spend hours and hours inside and outside of the cathedral attempting to take in each nook and cranny, and it would not suffice.

Each time I look at it, I see something new.

The small side chapel.

So. many. pigeons.

Soooo happy!!!

After the cathedral, we visited the museum of religious of religious art, which was quite interesting. The paintings depicted Jesus (and the rest of the figures) in such a rather solemn way. None of the paintings made me want to jump for joy, but rather made me quite sad. There was no joy at all, even in the birth of Christ. I won't get on my soapbox, though...

This is the birth of Jesus. His hair seems quite fair for a Jew...

We continued walking downtown after the cathedral and did a little more shopping in the artisan shop we had visited on Saturday. Then, we visited Pancho Villa's house. This home is, in a word, huge. His late wife, Luz, was a woman of great renown and influence, and she lived there until she died. The home has rooms full of intriguing artifacts, the car in which he was assassinated, guns, war uniforms, and even its own chapel!

Huge.

Mom and Pancho = chums.

The chapel inside the house.

After Pancho Villa's house, we went to my favorite place in the city, the Deportiva. This place is magical to me, because it is green. And it is where I run. Well, where I used to run. Anyways, my parents had to see it, because I was spending a lot of my time here. We visited the new gym there and looked at all of the sad trees that were made into benches after big freeze. I could spend so much time at the Deportiva. I love that place. What I loved even more was finally being able to share it with my parents.

An example of a bench made from a dead tree stump. :(

When we walked around for a whole morning, we worked up quite the appetite, so I introduced my parents to La Sierra pizza. This restaurant is a new franchise in town that orginated inCuauhtémoc, where there is a large Mennonite community. The Mennonites have this amazingly delicious cheese that they are famous for, and it is on the deliciously wonderful pizza that we enjoyed on Monday.

My parents with Steve outside of La Sierra.

Upon our return to the guest house, we rested. We finally finished watching Christy, with which I had become obsessed after reading the book this summer and borrowing the series from my friend Lisa. My parents had watched the series when it was actually on during the mid-90's. Good stuff, folks. They always do away with the stuff on tv that is actually worth watching, I tell you.

Wednesday morning, we packed up and shipped out bright and early since my parents' flight was at 8:30. It was sad to see them go, but my heart was so full that I could not allow myself to get too upset. We had truly enjoyed a wonderful time together, and I was so grateful for the gift of them being there. Everyone kept telling me that I looked so contented when they were here, and I truly was. And still am. I mean, Christmas is just around the corner. :)